Not been able to get on patch recently due to other commitments and adverse weather! Others have though and a Water Pipit was reported there on the 16th Feb! The only other report was from yesterday (21st) when 117 Teal, 2 Water Rail and 2 Oystercatcher were recorded.

Lack of time and diminishing weather meant a quick seawatch was called for off Godrevy Car park this morning. The sea state had calmed considerable since yesterday with a change in wind direction to the south-west. Only Red-throated Diver was new for the patch year list and a distant Great Skua was my second of 2016. Other seabirds included: 1400+ Guillemots, c600 Razorbills, 1 GN Diver, 200+ Shags, 2 Kittiwakes and numerous gulls. On land were 3 Stonechat, 3 flyover Skylarks, 2 Curlew, a Raven and a Kestrel.

Woke up after night shifts yesterday (2nd Feb) to a text from my birding buddy saying a Grey Phalarope was on the flooded area by the flood bank. A quick drive down to the patch and the bird was still present, in very windy conditions! Fortunately the weather was putting off the dog walkers, so the bird remained undisturbed to feed. Other birds seen were: male Pochard, 24 Teal, 26 Tufted Duck (20 males), 34 Canada Geese, 2 Coot, 4 Mute Swan, 7 Mallard and a few Carrion Crows.

Friday 1st January 2016 – New year and a new target! 112 species to beat and stuck in doors like a caged tiger! Getting on patch today meant braving the wind and rain with three daughters in tow! But it had to be done!

So an hour on the reserve resulted in 30 species, which despite the weather, was a better start than last year! Wildfowl number had increased which was a good omen for the upcoming WEBS and NEWS counts! Big news was that lonesome Coot appears to have found a friend!! For the first time since last winter there are two Coots on the main pond. Teal numbers have increased massively to 57 birds and there was a pair of Pochard present. Other highlights were Peregrine and two Great northern Divers offshore. Interestingly there were two Wigeon on the main pool. The only Wigeon I saw there last year was on the 1st January too! Hopefully the weather will improve so I can add a few photos to this blog soon!!